Islands in the Stream

The Loire's islands—some permanent, some ephemeral—are worlds unto themselves. Île de Béhuard, with its tiny 15th-century church built on a rock, floods regularly but has been continuously inhabited for centuries. Residents have adapted to life with the river's moods, keeping boats as naturally as others keep cars, moving possessions to upper floors when the water rises.

These islands have often served as refuges. During World War II, Resistance fighters used the shifting geography of Loire islands to evade German patrols. Earlier, during the Wars of Religion, islands provided sanctuary for persecuted Huguenots. Today, some islands host summer camps that bring together children from different backgrounds—urban and rural, different ethnicities and religions—using the river as a neutral ground for building understanding.